United States v. Reaves, 636 F. Supp. 1575

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky

1986

Chapter

2

Title

Evidence A Contemporary Approach

Page

14

Topic

The Process of Proof and the Structure of Trial

Quick Notes

The prosecution had asked for a month to present its evidence but was only given approximately 10 days. 

Book Name

Evidence: A Contemporary Approach.  Sydney Beckman, Susan Crump, Fred Galves.  ISBN:  978-0-314-19105-2.

Issue

o         Whether?

Procedure

District

o         The court held that it had the power to impose reasonable time limits and entered a scheduling order imposing such constraints on both the government and defendants.

Facts

Discussion

Key Phrases

Rules

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: 

o        The government and defendants challenged the court's authority to place time limits on various stages of the trial of an action charging defendants with criminal tax fraud.

o        The Prosecution determined the trial would take a month.

Excessive

o        The court was convinced that this time was excessive.

Little Effort

o        Court thought the prosecution made little effort in organizing tax returns to streamline their presentation.

Scheduling Ordered

o        The scheduling order was designed to give the US 10 days to present the case.

Order Worked

o        Things started to move along as the prosecutions time began to run out.

Fed.R.Evid. 403

o        Recognizes the power and duty of the court to exclude cumulative evidence or evidence which consumes more time than its probative value justifies.

Rule 611

o        Commands  the court to "exercise reasonable control over the mode and order of interrogating witnesses and presenting evidence, so as to (1) make the interrogation and presentation effective for the ascertainment of the truth, [and] (2) avoid needless consumption of time."

Fed.R.Evid. 102 - Courts Duty and Power to Manage

o        It is fundamental that a court has the power and duty to manage its docket and the individual cases before it to "secure fairness in administration, [and] elimination of unjustifiable expense and delay."

Public Policy

o        Modern courts recognize that the court's time is "a public commodity which should not be squandered."

o        Public resources are squandered if judicial proceedings are allowed to proliferate beyond reasonable bounds.

o        The public's right to a "just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of every action" is infringed, if a court allows a case, civil or criminal, to preempt more than its reasonable share of the court's time.

Judge vs. Attorneys Perspective

o        The perspectives of the court and the attorneys in trying a case differ markedly.

o        A judge wants to reach a just result in the case and to do so expeditiously and economically.

o        An attorney's primary concern is to WIN the case.

Setting time Limits

o        Setting a reasonable time limit forces counsel to conform their zeal to the need of the court to conserve its time and resources.

Fed.R.Evid. 611(a).

o        Properly streamlined, the case is more effective for the ascertainment of truth, as mandated by Fed.R.Evid. 611(a).

Holding

o        This court holds that it has the power to impose reasonable time limits on the trial of both civil and criminal cases in the exercise of its reasonable discretion.

o        Of course, the court must analyze each case carefully to assure that the time limits set are not arbitrary.

Rules

Rule 403. Exclusion of Relevant Evidence on Grounds of Prejudice, Confusion, or Waste of Time

o        Although relevant, evidence may be excluded if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of the issues, or misleading the jury, or by considerations of undue delay, waste of time, or needless presentation of cumulative evidence.

Rule 102. Purpose and Construction

o        These rules shall be construed to secure fairness in administration, elimination of unjustifiable expense and delay, and promotion of growth and development of the law of evidence to the end that the truth may be ascertained and proceedings justly determined.

Rule 611. Mode and Order of Interrogation and Presentation

o        (a) Control by court.  The court shall exercise reasonable control over the mode and order of interrogating witnesses and presenting evidence so as to

(1) make the interrogation and presentation effective for the ascertainment of the truth,

(2) avoid needless consumption of time, and

(3) protect witnesses from harassment or undue embarrassment.

Class Notes